The Road Back
by Rachel Wilder
Summary: Deacon, Maddie and Daphne hit the road from LA to Nashville, crossing the country with history, memories, and dreams about the future facing them at each point along the way.
1. Chapter 1

**_Many thanks to PirateWench78 for her inspiration for this story._**

* * *

Deacon sat on the balcony looking out at the pool. The girls had spent the morning swimming and sunbathing along the deck. They asked him to come down, but he hadn't been in the mood. Coming out here to LA, being around music people, some of it felt familiar, but being here, doing all of this without Rayna, well, that part was never gonna feel familiar.

He took another sip of his coffee and set the cup down on the table next to him.

It felt ironic when the organizers of the American Music Awards contacted them about the travel arrangements. The award ceremony was in the hotel Rayna had stayed on her last trip, when she came out to do that private show for Zach. He thought about asking for them to make arrangements for them to stay somewhere else, but then called the event planner back and asked for the room he'd come to find Rayna in the year before.

He looked back into the suite. He could hear the sound of Rayna's voice in his head.

 _"You messed my hair all up," she said as he held her, kissing her. "I'm lost, Deacon…"_

He was lost, too. He had no idea what to do next, with Highway 65, with Juliette, with the girls, with Jessie…and he found himself wishing they'd had more of these moments, that he'd been spontaneous, dropped everything for her.

He'd do anything to be able to do that again. Nothing felt the same without her. And so much of it didn't seem to make any sense. He knew he was a good father, but he'd planned to do it with her. Some days, when Maddie was hurt or Daphne was so sad, he was sure he was going to screw up so bad that they'd ask to go live with Teddy.

And now he had probably destroyed the label, too. Everything felt like an out of tune guitar without her here.

 _"So, you want to rent a car and drive back?" he'd asked her._

At first he didn't understand why she felt so lost, why she would want to take all of that time away from him and the girls, but she had been so sure of her decision to do the road trip. By herself. But when she'd come back to him, she'd been so clear. She had made the plan to create an album that would tell their story. They'd had no way to know it would be the last thing they would create together and that made him so grateful, but also broke his heart to pieces whenever he thought about it. He'd listened to the mix that Avery produced. One time in the studio and again when they played it for Zach.

He'd never listened to it again. And other than the night at the Opry, he hadn't played the songs, either. They were the songs he wrote with Rayna, about Rayna, for Rayna. And without her...well, the songs just didn't mean the same thing anymore.

* * *

Maddie looked up at the balcony where she could see her dad sitting, drinking his coffee. Daphne had tried to get him to come down and swim with them, but he told them to go ahead.

The trip to LA had been exciting. She didn't think she'd win the award-even after Juliette pulled out, the competition was intense. But it had been cool to get to perform and honestly, just being nominated was pretty awesome, too.

She sat down on the chaise lounge and put her sunglasses back on. As she reached for her water bottle, a shadow crossed her.

"Are you? Are you Maddie Jaymes?"

She looked up to find a tall, dark haired guy standing next to her. She sat up straighter on the chaise. He was kind of cute.

"Uh, yeah," she stammered. She still wasn't used to being recognized like this. In Nashville, it felt like people knew her, and mostly as Rayna Jaymes' daughter, but in LA this had happened a couple of times and it felt really different.

The guy motioned to her chaise and she slid over so he could sit down on the end of it. "I'm Jack," he said. "I really like your song. You did an awesome job with it last night."

"Were you there?" she asked. She looked out into the pool and could see Daphne watching them.

"Uh, yeah," he replied. "My dad produced the show, so I got to come and watch. That really sucked what Juliette Barnes did to you with that song."

"I don't really want to talk about it," Maddie replied. And she didn't. She was glad that Juliette had admitted to what she did, but she still couldn't believe it. Losing her mom, losing her faith in Juliette, it all made her feel so much more alone now with her music. At least she had her dad. She'd always be able to count on him.

"You staying in LA for a while?" Jack asked. "Can I take you out?"

Maddie laughed and shook her head. "That's sweet, but no, we're headed back to Nashville. Today, I think."

Jack stood back up. "Well, if you come back out here, and I know you will, I'd take you on that date. Can I have your number?"

Maddie shook her head again. "I don't think so, but thanks for the offer."

He waved again as he walked away.

"Who was that?" Daphne asked as she sat down on the chaise next to Maddie's.

Maddie shrugged. "Just some guy. Hey, we should go up and get changed. I think we need to start getting ready to go pretty soon."

"Did you at least get his name?" Daphne asked. "He was totally cute."

"Like Flynn?" Maddie teased, smiling at her sister.

Daphne rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"What's going on with you two?" Maddie asked.

Daphne shrugged. "I don't want to talk about it." She stood up, picking up her towel and swimsuit cover. "C'mon, let's go."

Maddie picked up her things as well and headed toward the hotel, pausing for a moment to look back at Jack. Daphne was right. He was cute.

* * *

The door to the suite opened and he could hear the girls coming in, their voices filled with life, laughing and good. Daphne was teasing Maddie about some boy down at the pool. It was quiet and then more giggling as they headed toward the room they were sharing.

This is what mattered. These two. They were the only thing. It was exactly what he'd told Maddie when she'd been so afraid that her actions were ending her mom's dream. Highway 65 was Rayna's dream, but her life was those girls. And him. She would want them to live. And to be happy.

The trip to LA had been good. And hard. He hadn't wanted to share with the girls all of the emotions that had washed over him as they landed at LAX, as they got to the hotel and most intensely, when they'd gotten to the suite. This trip was about Maddie, about the award ceremony and her performance and even though Rayna was always with them, he hadn't wanted to bring up her name.

"Dad?"

He looked up to find Maddie standing there.

"You should have come down," she said, smiling at him. "That pool is amazing."

Deacon smiled at her. "Forgot my suit. Plus, I don't really swim."

"What time is our flight?" she asked as she took a sip from the bottle of water she was holding.

Deacon stood up. "Actually, I had an idea. What if we didn't fly back?"

"What do you mean?" Maddie asked. "How would we get back?"

"We'd drive," Deacon replied. "Rent a car and hit the road. Y'all have never really seen this part of the country and I've usually been stuck on a bus, just watching it all roll by."

"Drive back?" Daphne asked as she joined them, her hair wrapped in a towel after her shower. "Like Mom did? Can we get a convertible?"

Deacon nodded, momentarily choking up. It still caught him at moments he least expected it.

"Cool," Maddie replied.

Deacon took a deep breath. "I just...with everything lately, I was just thinking that maybe we needed a few extra days."

"Maybe we could just take a three week trip," Daphne suggested.

Deacon looked at her, smiled and laughed. "No, we'll be back for the first day of eighth grade. We're not gonna miss that."

* * *

Daphne folded up her clothes and put them in her suitcase as her phone buzzed again.

 _When are you coming back? I miss you._

She hit delete on the text from Flynn like she had on the last three he'd sent that morning. She wasn't sure what had happened at the pool party, but she didn't need to hear him making any more excuses.

She sat down and pulled up Google maps. The quickest route took 29 hours, but it also involved driving through a lot of Oklahoma and Arkansas.

Maddie came into their room. "You ready?" she asked as she picked up her suitcase.

"Close," Daphne replied. "So, I think we need to look at our options for this trip. Why not have some fun on the way back."

Maddie sat down next to her. "Wow...can we go through Vegas?"

Daphne shot her a look. "To do what? We can't gamble."

"No, to see the Strip and the lights and the fountains at the Bellagio. And maybe a show?"

Daphne did a quick search. "Okay, our options are Britney Spears, Celine Dion, Cher and the Backstreet Boys."

Maddie looked at her and they replied at the same time. "Backstreet Boys."

"I'll text Bucky and see if he can help us out," Maddie responded.

"Ooh...and we're going to be by the Grand Canyon!" Daphne exclaimed. "We can definitely stop there."

"Looks like you're planning the long way home," Maddie pointed out. "Any reason?"

Daphne shrugged. "I kinda like it just being the three of us. It's easier, right?"

Maddie nodded. "Okay, let me go check on Dad and let him know what we're thinking."

Daphne watched as she left as another message popped up on her phone.

 _Is everything okay?_

And she hit delete again.

* * *

 _ **T** hanks for checking this story out and I always appreciate hearing what you think! - RW_


	2. Day One - LA to Las Vegas via Joshua Tre

**Day One - LA to Las Vegas via Joshua Tree**

"I'm not riding in the back the whole way," Daphne said as they walked across the lot to the convertible Deacon had rented.

"We're going to take turns," Deacon replied.

"So, I do get to drive," Maddie replied, skipping ahead toward the red convertible.

"Uh," Deacon replied. "I meant that you and your sister will take turns in the back."

Deacon stowed their bags in the trunk and opened the door to the convertible. "Okay, so where to first?"

Daphne pulled out her phone and tapped on it. "First stop, Joshua Tree. And yes, we have the album downloaded."

Maddie slid into the front seat. "And for tonight...Vegas."

"You're too young to gamble," Deacon said. "What are you going to do in Vegas?"

"We want to see the fountains," Daphne replied. "And Maddie found a secret surf and turf special at the Hard Rock Hotel."

"Oh, and we're going to see the Backstreet Boys tonight," Maddie added. "Bucky arranged it."

"The what?" Deacon asked. "A boy band?"

Daphne shrugged. "Maddie's into pop music now and if they aren't pop music, I don't know what is."

"And I have to go?" Deacon asked as he sat down behind the steering wheel. He slipped his sunglasses on and looked back at Daphne.

She shrugged. "Hey, if you want to sit in your room watching reruns, you can go ahead and do that, Dad. But if you want to come out and have an incredibly fun night with your daughters, well, then you'll come with us."

"And you're set on Vegas?" Deacon asked. "Because I hear there's a pretty grand canyon around there. Been on my bucket list for a while."

Maddie looked over at him and smiled. "Where do you think we're going after Vegas?"

"Well, then," Deacon said as he put the car in gear and headed out of the lot, pointing the car east.

* * *

Deacon pulled the car into the lot near the Keys View overlook inside Joshua Tree National Park.

"Let's go check it out," he said as he put the top up on the convertible and got out of the car.

Maddie pulled the passenger seat forward and let Daphne out. They stood next to the car waiting as Deacon handed them each a water bottle.

"It's hot," Daphne said.

"But it's a dry heat," Deacon replied. "Let's check out this loop trail. There's supposed to be an amazing view."

They headed down the short trail, walking along slowly.

Maddie paused looking over the valley. The view went on for miles.

"Amazing, isn't it?" Deacon said as he walked up behind her. "It's the…" he looked down at the brochure they'd gotten at the visitor's center. "So, this is the Coachella Valley."

"I want to go there," Maddie said, looking over the mountains and desert.

"Now?" Deacon asked, smiling at her. "I"m not sure it's on Daphne's schedule."

Maddie smiled and shook her head. "No, I mean, I want to perform at Coachella, at the festival. I want to do it all!"

Deacon slipped his arms around her. "Of course you do, and you will, Maddie. You'll do it all."

* * *

"Viva Las Vegas!" Daphne shouted from the backseat as they drove past the iconic Vegas sign onto the Strip.

Deacon looked into the rearview mirror and smiled. It was so good to see her happy again. He switched lanes, looking at the various signs as they continued down the long roadway filled with people, hotels, casinos and lights.

"This is quite a circus," he remarked as they drove along. "A little different than Joshua Tree."

"It's America," Daphne replied. "Quintessentially."

"Ah," Deacon replied. "Quintessentially."

"Hey, we could have planned to say at Circus, Circus," Maddie replied. "But it's kind of for little kids."

Deacon signalled and pulled into the long driveway into the Bellagio. "Thank you, I appreciate that."

As they pulled up, the fountains in front of the hotel shot up, moving through a choreagraphed routine. They stopped the car in front of the valet and watched.

"Mom would have loved this," Maddie said as they music played and the waters danced.

Deacon looked over and nodded. "She did. We did a show here a few years ago and I had a hard time pulling her away."

"Can we go down and watch?" Daphne asked.

"Sure," Deacon said. "I'll text you the room number, but don't stay too long-we still have your special night tonight."

"Oh, we won't be late for that," Daphne replied. "I hope you have the right outfit, Dad."

Deacon smiled at her. "You mean plaid won't do it?"

Daphne shook her head. "Preferably something without snaps instead of buttons."

Deacon looked down at his western cut shirt with the pearl covered snaps. "Okay, you go see the fountains and I'll see what I can do about wardrobe."

* * *

Maddie looked in the mirror, smoothing a bit of foundation across her face. She remembered her mom's instructions about making less look like more. A brush of mascara and it looked complete.

"How does this look?" Daphne asked as she stood in the door to their bathroom in her outfit for the night.

"You look great," Maddie replied. "Very cute."

"We should check on Dad," Daphne replied. "I'm not sure he got the message earlier."

They walked back into the suite where Deacon was slipping on black dress shoes with his dark jeans and a fitted black t-shirt.

"Will this do?" he asked, standing up.

"You could have worn your boots," Maddie replied. "I mean, at the end of the day, you're still from Nashville."

"Oh, no," Deacon responded. "I'm following Daphne's protocol and bringing it Vegas style tonight."

He held out his arms taking the girls in his embrace. "Okay, let's go see what these Backstreet Boys have to offer."

* * *

Deacon sat at their table, down near the front of the venue, watching as the girls headed toward the stage for the final encore of the show. It was an amazing production, these Vegas residencies. He knew that Rayna had been offered one, after her breakup with Luke. What would their life have been like if they'd done something like this?

He brushed his hand past the tear that threatened to escape. In some ways, that was the hard thing, wondering what would have been, if she hadn't died. It wasn't fair that she was missing out on all of this, that she wasn't here to see the girls grow up, to see Maddie on the brink of everything they had dreamed for her…

"Dad!" Maddie called. He shook his head. He had come to the concert. He was not shaking his bootie in front of a boy band.

They would have to make their own memories now. Even if some days it was harder than others.

* * *

As they walked back across the Strip, the fountains started again. Much like the final scene of Ocean's 11, they stood in a row, watching in silence as the theme from Titanic played. As it finished. Deacon looked down at his phone.

"Hey, we should probably head up. We have another big day ahead of us tomorrow."

They turned to leave as the sound of flutes began to play. Deacon stopped and stood there.

"What is it, Dad?" Maddie asked.

"Let's stay for this one," Deacon said. They stopped and watched as the sound of Luciano Pavarotti's voice filled the air all around them.

Deacon felt the tears come again and he reached up, trying to brush them away before the girls noticed. Daphne moved next to him and slipped her arms around his waist. He leaned down and kissed the top of her head, pulling her close to him. Maddie came on the other side and took his hand.

When the song finished, they walked back to the hotel in silence hand in hand. Before they got to the door, he stopped.

"Hey, it's okay for us to have fun and it's okay for us to be sad. You know that, right?"

The girls both nodded and they headed into the hotel.

* * *

Daphne finished getting ready for bed, then headed back into the suite's living room. She could see the light was still on in Deacon's room, so she tapped on the door.

"C'mon in," he said.

She walked in to find him lying on the bed, on top of the bedspread, his feet bare, but still dressed from earlier.

"Are you really okay, Dad?" she asked as she sat down on the end of the bed. "I don't...I don't really see you cry anymore."

Deacon nodded. "I'm okay, sweet girl. I don't know...I'm just missing your mom today. Some days are harder than others."

Daphne nodded. "For me too."

"You want me to come tuck you in?" he asked.

She shook her head, stood up and gave him a kiss. "No, but I can tuck you in, if you want."

Deacon laughed and shooed her off to bed. "Sleep well. Tomorrow will be more adventures."

He changed into his pajamas and pulled back the covers on the bed. Every night without her, the bed felt so empty. He rolled onto his side, reached to turn out the light and let his mind drift as he did every night.

 _A good day with the girls, Ray. You should have seen them at that concert tonight. I wouldn't have predicted that they'd be so retro to be into a band that was popular before they were born, but they had a good time. We're trying to make our new memories, but I wish you were here._

 _I wish you were here._

He finished his daily thoughts for her and rolled onto his back, his eyes fixed on the ceiling and waited for the sleep to come.

Tomorrow would be another day of adventure and memories.

* * *

 _ **Thanks for the lovely notes on the first chapter, glad y'all are enjoying this idea of a story. As always, it's a great pleasure to hear what you think. - RW**_


	3. Day Two - Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon

**Day Two - Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon**

Daphne walked into the living room and found Deacon slipping on his boots. He looked up and smiled at her.

"Sleep well, honey?" he asked.

She nodded.

"Maddie ready to go?" he asked. "We should grab some breakfast before we hit the road."

"She's on the phone with Bucky," Daphne replied. "I think he's trying to set up some radio interview."

Deacon nodded. "Well, grab your stuff and we'll at least have our stuff ready to go."

Daphne paused by the door. "You were really good, that night at the Opry. Are you going to start recording again? Do another tour?"

Deacon looked up at her, a sad smile crossing his face. "I'm not sure, honey. I haven't really felt like I had much to say lately and it's been pretty busy, what with you and your sister, Highway 65 and all."

"I think Mom would have wanted you to keep playing music," Daphne replied. "I know she would have."

"What about you?" Deacon responded. "I know you still have some growing up to do, but are you doing music at school, with friends?"

Daphne shrugged. Deacon stood up and walked over to her, taking her into his arms.

"Okay, so maybe we both have something to work on when we get home." Daphne looked up at him and he kissed her on the forehead. "Okay, now you go get your things and your sister. We've got to get moving."

* * *

Maddie sat on the bed, looking out over the Vegas skyline, her phone at her ear.

"So, I wanted to talk about one more thing," Bucky said through the phone.

"Okay," Maddie replied. "What's up?"

"I'm getting some inquiries, from other labels...people want to know what you're going to do if Highway 65 folds," Bucky said.

Maddie sighed and laid back against the pillows at the head of the bed. "Do we have to figure that out now? Do you really think Dad won't be able to work it out?"

"It's hard to know, Maddie," Bucky replied. "Zach is pretty hard to predict. I think it would be smart to consider our options."

"Do we have to do it right now? Before I get back?"

"No, but how about I put together some options. I'm happy to talk to you and Deacon about it when you get back," Bucky responded.

Maddie sat back up, looking over at the closed door to the living room of the suite. "No, let's not worry Dad about this right now. I'll talk to him when we have something to talk about."

"Okay," Bucky answered. "Well, have a good time on the trip and do you need anything specific for the event tomorrow?"

"I think we covered it-they'll have guitar for me?" Maddie asked.

"Definitely. You'll do great. Thanks for taking time to do this," Bucky replied. "It's important to keep moving forward with all of the great coverage you're getting, with the nomination and so on."

"And the Juliette stuff," Maddie added.

"Yeah," Bucky responded. "Glenn called again. She would like to talk to you when you get back."

"Okay," Maddie replied. "I mean...I'm not saying I will, but thanks for letting me know."

There was a knock at the door and Daphne walked in.

"Hey, I need to go," Maddie said. "I'll call you tomorrow after the show."

"Sounds good," Bucky replied. "Give my best to your dad and Daphne."

Maddie ended the call and stood up. "Okay, we ready to hit the road?"

"Let's go," Daphne replied.

* * *

"What did Bucky want?" Deacon asked Maddie as they headed back onto the highway, headed toward the Grand Canyon.

"He wanted to know if I'd do a pop-up show, signing and stuff in Albuquerque. I guess one of the stations there has been playing my single a lot."

"What time?" Deacon asked.

Maddie looked down at her phone. "Uh, 4 o'clock, sound check at 3."

Deacon nodded. "Sounds good. I was thinking we'd stay in Flagstaff tonight, so it's less than 5 hours to get over there."

"Good, cause I might need to go shopping, too," Maddie replied. "I mean, I know I brought stuff for LA, but I'm thinking that the New Mexico vibe is probably a little different."

"Of course it is," Deacon replied, laughing.

"Seriously, Dad," Daphne interjected from the backseat. "I'm not sure we can rely on your taste to guide us."

"Probably not," Deacon replied, shaking his head.

* * *

Deacon walked back out of the visitor's center holding a map.

"Did they tell you where to go?" Daphne asked.

Deacon nodded. "The ranger laughed when I said we were just driving through, but we'll come back another time."

"And do a mule ride?" Daphne asked.

"Of course," Deacon answered. "But today there's a drive we can do and see the canyon. Did you get more water?"

Maddie held up a bag. "Water for all of us. And snacks. You know we need snacks."

"Good thinking," Deacon said as he got back into the car and put it into drive. "Okay, let's go see this Grand Canyon."

* * *

Maddie and Deacon headed up the trail as Daphne was still back at the car.

"Is everything okay with your sister?" Deacon asked. "She seemed a little concerned about not having cell service here."

Maddie looked back at her younger sister and nodded. "I think Flynn is texting her a lot."

"Is something still going on there?" Deacon asked. "She hasn't said much since the pool party."

Maddie shrugged. "I don't know. I don't think she's texting him back, but the phone is buzzing constantly."

"Well, you giver her some sisterly advice, if you can and let me know if I can do anything," Deacon replied.

They walked up to the lookout over the canyon and stopped.

"Wow," Maddie said as they looked over the amazing view. "It's huge."

Deacon slipped his arm around her. "Amazing."

"This is cool," Daphne said as she joined them. "I've never seen anything like it."

Deacon slid his other arm around Daphne and they stood looking over the vista.

"I wish Mom was here," Maddie said, quietly. Deacon tightened his arm around her.

"I know it's hard making new memories without her," Deacon replied. "But she'd want us to do that. She wouldn't want us to just stop doing things."

They stood there, in silence, watching as the sun slowly set over the canyon, each in their own thoughts.

* * *

"You got all of your stuff?" Deacon asked as he turned back from the trunk of the convertible.

"Yep," Daphne replied. She picked up her suitcase and started heading toward the door to the hotel room.

"Everything okay, honey?" he asked as he closed the trunk and turned to follow her.

Daphne nodded, but she looked sad.

"You'll tell me if it isn't, won't you?" he asked.

She nodded again.

"Is this about Flynn?"

Daphne shrugged. "I don't get boys."

Deacon laughed. "Well, believe me, they don't know what they're doing half the time, so if you can figure them out, you'd be ahead of them."

Daphne stopped. "I mean, at that party, I thought...well, I thought that maybe we were more than friends or something, but then he was with this other girl and I…"

"What's going on now?" Deacon asked, his voice quiet and filled with concern.

Daphne shrugged. "He just keeps asking if I'm okay, when I'm coming home, that kind of stuff."

"And what do you tell him?" Deacon asked.

Daphne shrugged again. "I haven't said anything."

Deacon pulled her into a hug. "Well, you don't have to solve all of the problems of the world, but why don't you try calling him. Maybe it would be better if you just tried to talk to him a little, see what he has to say for himself."

Daphne looked down at the ground. "Yeah, maybe…."

"Hey, it's gonna be okay," Deacon replied. "And if it's not gonna work out with Flynn, there's gonna be other boys. You're young."

"Did you have other girlfriends, before you met Mom?" Daphne asked.

Deacon nodded. "Sure. But I was young and stupid. Most boys are."

"I don't think Flynn is stupid," Daphne replied.

"That's not exactly what I was sayin', but don't worry about it too much, sweetie. You'll figure it out."

Daphne smiled at him. "Thanks, Dad."

He watched as she headed toward the room she was sharing with Maddie and smiled. He knew that Teddy was her father, but every time she called him Dad, something she only started that night that Rayna died, it made his heart grow about twice in size. He loved his girls. He loved them more than they would ever know, more than he'd ever be able to tell them. And hopefully that would be enough.

* * *

Deacon turned off the television and rolled onto his side. He laid there for a moment, then slipped on his reading glasses, picked up his phone and dialed a number.

"Hello?" the voice answered, filled with sleep.

"Shoot," Deacon replied. "I totally forgot about the time difference. I woke you."

"No, it's okay," Jessie replied. "I just...I feel asleep early tonight. How are you?"

Deacon sat up, his back resting against the headboard of the hotel bed. "Good. Me and the girls are driving back from LA."

"Where are you?" she asked.

"Outside Flagstaff. I took them to the Grand Canyon today and we were in Vegas last night."

"Sounds like a fun trip," she replied. "When are you getting back?"

"Not sure," Deacon replied. "Sometime next week. We're just kinda playin' it by ear."

"I'm glad you're taking some time with them."

"Yep," Deacon replied.

"Is everything okay?" she asked.

Deacon sighed. "I guess. I'm havin' a good time, but we also did this cause Rayna drove home this way last year. I've just been thinkin' a lot about that, about how she was when she got back, wantin' to do that album, write all of that music about our lives."

Jessie was quiet for a moment. "Deacon, have you written anything...since…"

"No," he replied. "Honestly, I'm not sure I can anymore."

"But you wrote on your own before," Jessie replied.

"Yeah," Deacon responded. "But you know everything I write about is about her."

"So, maybe it still will be."

"I can't," Deacon replied.

"Well, don't push it if it doesn't feel right," Jessie suggested. "But, don't cut that part of yourself off, Deacon. You'll know when it's right."

"Thanks, Jess," Deacon replied. "You're a good friend."

He ended the call, set his glasses back on the bedside table and turned off the light. He had meant it when he told Jessie he wasn't sure he'd be able to write again.

 _I don't know how to do it without you, Ray. There aren't any words without you. No music._

Even in the years when they were apart, she'd been there, part of his life, always part of his dreams. But now he didn't dream anymore.

He rolled onto his side and slowly, eventually fell into another deep, dreamless sleep.

 _ **Thank you for the lovely reviews and comments...I so appreciate hearing what you think of the story!**_


	4. Day Three - Flagstaff, AZ to Albuquerque

**Day Three - Flagstaff, AZ to Albuquerque, NM**

"What time is your interview?" Deacon asked as the waitress set down their breakfast on the table in the diner.

Maddie looked down at her phone. "It's at 4 pm, I have to be there for sound at 3 pm."

Deacon nodded. "Right. Where's your sister?"

"Hair," Maddie replied. "What's up? You seem a little out of sorts this morning."

Deacon took a sip of his coffee. "I didn't sleep so great last night."

"Why?" Maddie asked as she set her fork down on the edge of the plate. She looked over at her dad. He looked tired this morning, like he had the past few months. Maybe this was all too much for him. "You know, we can just drop the car off and fly home."

"No," Deacon replied, shaking his head. "I want to keep going, I just couldn't get comfortable in that bed last night. We need to set a higher bar for our hotel tonight."

"I won't disagree with that," Maddie replied. "And a hot tub. We need a hot tub."

"Noted," Deacon replied as Daphne slid into the booth across from him next to her sister. "Glad to see you got here before we finished."

"I ordered you a waffle and bacon," Maddie said.

"And orange juice?" Daphne asked as Maddie slid the glass of juice toward her.

"Yes," Maddie replied. "And orange juice."

* * *

Deacon pulled up in front of radio studio and put the car in park. "You sure you don't want us to come in?"

"Nah," Maddie replied. "It'll be the same as all of these interviews. I can text you when I'm done."

"Well, knock 'em dead," Deacon said as Maddie got out of the car.

Daphne got into the front seat of the convertible and started putting on her seatbelt. "So, what are we going to do?"

Deacon looked at her and smiled. "I'm thinking it's been awhile since we've had good ice cream and I happen to know a great place here."

"Sounds good to me!" Daphne replied.

* * *

Deacon pulled up in front of the ice cream store in a nondescript strip mall on the edge of the city.

"How do you know about this?" Daphne asked. "It doesn't look like it's exactly on the top ten list of places to come in town."

Deacon got out of the car and locked the doors. "Well, actually it is on a few of those lists, but I found this one when I was spending some time in town a few years ago."

They walked in and looked at the numerous options. Deacon picked a bowl with butter brickle and Daphne went for the strawberry cheesecake cone. Deacon paid and led them over to a booth in the corner of the restaurant.

"So, why were you here? Was it during a tour?" Daphne asked.

Deacon took a bite of his ice cream and shook his head. "I know we never really talked about this much, but you know I went to rehab a few times, before you were born, right?"

Daphne nodded as she took a lick of her cone.

"Well, one of those times was out here, in New Mexico," Deacon replied.

"What was it like?" Daphne asked, her face serious as she sat across from Deacon.

"Rehab? Deacon replied. "Or bein' an alcoholic?"

Daphne shrugged. "Both, I guess. I mean, I never really knew anybody…"

Deacon set his spoon down. "I don't know how much I can talk about the drinkin'. I did a lot of stuff I ain't very proud of when I was doin' that. I hurt your mama a lot. But goin' to rehab, it always felt at first like maybe I had a chance to get my life again. It's like my life would start to come into focus again."

"How many times did you go?" Daphne asked.

Deacon sighed and looked down at the table. He looked back up at Daphne slowly. "I went five times."

"Why did you have to go so many times?" Daphne asked as she took another lick of her cone.

Deacon shook his head. "I guess I'm a slow learner or somethin'. I mean, a couple times I just couldn't handle it and I left before I was supposed to."

"Which time were you here?" Daphne asked.

Deacon took another bite of his ice cream. "I was here the last time, the time it worked."

"When was that?"

"After Maddie was born, after your mom and dad got married." Deacon explained. "I think I knew it was my last chance."

"How long were you here?" Daphne asked.

"About six months," Deacon answered. "Daph, this is all pretty grown up stuff, but I was really sick."

Daphne looked at him. "Do you still want to drink? Would you start drinking again?"

Deacon shrugged. "I don't think it'll ever really go away. I have better ways to deal with those urges now and I would never want to do anything to hurt you or your sister."

His phone buzzed and he looked down. "Maddie's done. You ready to go?"

Daphne nodded and they got up and headed toward the door.

"Dad?" Daphne said as she stopped near the door.

"Yes, sweetie?"

Daphne put her arms around him and hugged him.

"What's that for?" Deacon asked.

"For getting better, and for telling me about it," Daphne replied. "I'm glad you're my dad."

Deacon kissed the top of her head. "Me too, honey. Me too."

* * *

Maddie stood in the lobby of the radio station waiting for Deacon and Daphne to come back and pick her up.

The interview had gone well, although it had been predictable.

" _Tell us about how you felt about Juliette Barnes stealing a song from you. What's it like to be having all of this success after your mom died? What's next for you, Maddie? Are you going to leave Highway 65? Does Highway 65 still exist? What would your mom think about her dream dying?"_

She was a pro, she knew how to handle these questions now, because they never changed. She was disappointed and shocked about Juliette, she missed her mom, she didn't know what was next.

Her phone buzzed and she looked down. It was a text from Bucky.

 _How did it go?_

 _Great_ , she tapped back. And it had. She'd performed her song live, the DJs had been great and they hadn't asked any questions other than what every single one of these interviews did.

But she still felt unsettled.

 _Did you think anymore about looking at the other offers?_ Bucky asked.

 _No_ , she replied. She hadn't. She couldn't.

Her phone buzzed again, and she was surprised to see it was a message from Gunnar.

 _Hey, where are you headed next?_ he asked. _Anywhere near Austin?_

 _We're in Albuquerque, I think heading toward Memphis_ , she responded.

 _Could you be in Austin tomorrow?_ Gunnar asked.

 _Why?_

 _I agreed to do this benefit at the Broken Spoke and I could use a few friends...you guys up for it?_ Gunnar asked.

She looked up to see Deacon and Daphne pulling up to the curb. _Sure_ , she replied. _Just tell me where and when._

* * *

 _ **Thank you for reading along...I appreciate hearing what you think! - Rachel**_


	5. Day Four - Albuquerque, NM to Austin, TX

**Day Four - Albuquerque, NM to Austin, TX**

Daphne woke up to find Maddie sitting up on her bed. She looked over at her older sister. Maddie looked worried...or sad. A lot of what what happening to Maddie felt really exciting and to be honest, she hoped she'd have the same chances someday, but at times like this, it looked hard to grow up, to get famous.

"How long have you been up?" Daphne asked.

Maddie looked over at her. "I don't know...I think I woke up around 4 am. I just couldn't sleep."

"What's up?" Daphne asked as she got up and came over to sit on Maddie's bed. She hoped that her sister would tell her what was going on...it seemed like more than just the stuff with Juliette and the award show.

Maddie shrugged. "Lots of stuff on my mind."

"Obviously," Daphne replied. "That's why I asked. What's up?"

Maddie looked down at her phone. "Well, there's a reason why I asked Dad last night if we could drive home through Austin."

"What is it?" Daphne asked, her face serious. "C'mon, tell me what's going on, cause I know it's not just about the song."

Maddie looked over at her. "If I tell you, will you tell Dad?"

"Does it involve criminal activity?" Daphne asked, her face serious. Maddie looked at her, frowning and shook her head. Daphne burst out laughing. "I'm kidding. Tell me. And then if it's something Dad needs to know, we'll figure out how to tell him."

Maddie sat quiet for a moment.

"Bucky thinks I might need to look for a new label. And tonight, in Austin, Gunnar wants me to sing at this show he's putting on, I mean, it's a fundraiser for one of his friends from high school, but he's also gonna have some people there, cause Noel's telling him the same thing, that they need to think about what happens in case Highway 65 can't make it."

"Oh," Daphne replied. "Why can't you tell Dad?"

Maddie flopped back against the pillows at the head of the bed. "I just...I don't want him to be disappointed and I don't know if he'd get it. I mean, I don't think he's ever really had to deal with this kind of a choice before."

"Mom would have known what to do," Daphne said quietly.

Maddie sat up, her eyes filling with tears. "I know."

"But, you gotta tell him," Daphne replied. "He loves you and he only wants the best for you, Maddie. And I think you're wrong...I think he gets it."

* * *

Deacon sat in the booth across from Maddie and Daphne as they finished lunch.

"I'm gonna go to the ladies room before we go," Daphne said as she dropped her napkin on the table and slid out from the booth. As she got up she looked back at Maddie and jerked her head toward Deacon.

Deacon watched as she walked down the aisle of the diner toward the restroom. "Well, it's a good thing she sees her future in music, cause I'm not sure acting or espionage are her strengths."

"What?" Maddie asked as she looked over at her dad.

"I had the sense that your sister was giving us a few minutes alone to talk. Is it possible you have something to talk to me about?" Deacon asked as he lifted his mug to take another sip of coffee.

"Uh...yeah, I guess so," Maddie stammered. She looked in the direction that Daphne had headed. "Yeah, you're right, she's not subtle."

Deacon leaned forward. "So, what's on your mind?"

Maddie looked down at the table and then back up at her dad. "Well, it's kind of about tonight and also about stuff that I've been talking to Bucky about since LA."

"About a new label?" Deacon asked. He looked over at Maddie and smiled slightly. She looked so pained, so upset.

"Uh, yeah," Maddie replied, her voice quiet. "How did you know?"

"Cause I asked Bucky to start talkin' to people," Deacon replied. He reached across the table for Maddie's hand. "Hey, I'm your dad, not your boss. I want what's best for you and for a long time I thought that was Highway 65. Now, I'm not so sure, cause I'm not sure I can promise it will be the kind of place that I'd want representin' my daughter. You and Daphne are the most precious things to me."

"Really?" Maddie asked, her eyes filling with tears.

"Of course," Deacon replied. "So, let's talk about this show tonight, cause Gunnar told me he's gonna have some folks in there to listen to you."

* * *

Deacon stood at the side of the stage watching as Maddie went through her sound check.

"She sounds great," Gunnar said.

Deacon looked over and smiled. "Yeah, she does. It looks like it will be a great night. Thanks for including her."

"You know, we'd have time for you to do a set, if you want," Gunnar offered. "I know folks would love to see you perform."

Deacon shook his head. "I don't know...it's your night and for Maddie. Plus, it's just...it's hard to do it."

"I get it," Gunnar replied. "Not the same without her, right?"

Deacon nodded. He looked over at Gunnar. "How's my niece?"

Gunnar shrugged. "Who knows. Not exactly something I want to spend a lot a time talking about today."

Deacon clapped his on the shoulder. "You'll work it out. Or you won't and you'll move on. She hasn't said much of anything to me about it, but you're both good people. You know that, right?"

Gunnar nodded. "Well, think about it, cause we'd be real glad to have you on the stage. Even for a song at the end."

Deacon watched as Gunnar headed backstage to talk to the organizers of the event. He rubbed his hand across his face.

"I think you should do it," Daphne said as she walked up to him.

Deacon looked over at her and smiled. "You do, do you."

"Yep," Daphne replied. "Hey, I hear there's gonna be people here from labels. Maybe you'll get a record deal out of it."

Deacon chuckled. "That's the last thing I need."

"No it isn't," Daphne replied, her voice serious. "Dad, people loved you that night at the Opry. You should be out there, making music, singing your songs."

Deacon looked over at her, her face so earnest. "Thanks, honey. I just don't know that it's the right thing for us, for me, right now."

"We're doing okay," Daphne replied. "You need to be doing things for yourself and I saw how you looked out there that night. You were more...more alive than you've been since Mom died."

Deacon was quiet for a moment. "I...I could feel her there with me. Out there, on the stage."

Daphne slipped her hand in his.

* * *

Deacon sat in the back of the hall, his boot resting up on the chair next to him. He looked over at the wall of photos and smiled. It had been a while since he'd been in an old honky tonk like this one. It was the kind of place that did events like the one they were putting on as well as having dancing every week.

His phone buzzed and he looked down to see Jessie's face. He pressed the button and answered the call.

"Hey, how's it going?" he asked, a little smile crossing his face.

"Good, how about you? Where are you?" she asked.

"Texas. Took a little detour to Austin to meet up with Gunnar," Deacon explained. "He's doing a benefit and Maddie's gonna perform, maybe Daphne on a couple of songs with her."

"And you?" Jessie asked. "I'd have to imagine you have a couple of fans in Austin."

Deacon chuckled. "Yeah, maybe. I don't know. Gunnar did ask, but I'm still just not…"

"Deacon," Jessie started.

"What?" he interrupted. "Can't I just not be ready for all this?"

"When are you gonna be?" she asked quietly. "Cause I don't think Rayna would want you to give up your music."

"I ain't givin' it up," Deacon shot back, dropping his boot down to the floor, his head dropped down.

"Sorry," Jessie replied quickly. "I didn't mean to…"

"No, I'm sorry," Deacon replied, as he rubbed his hand across his scruffy beard. "I don't mean to be so sensitive about it."

"You were just so alive out there at the Opry," Jessie explained. "I guess I'm just hoping that my friend Deacon will feel like that more often than not."

"Yeah," Deacon replied, softly.

"So what's the hang up?" she asked.

He looked over at the stage where the girls were practicing a song for later. "I guess it just makes me feel guilty to feel alive like that, to be happy...when she ain't. Alive. Here."

"Oh, Deacon," Jessie exhaled. "Don't let yourself…"

"No, I get it," he interrupted. "I'm just...I told you before. I'm kind of a mess."

"Who isn't?" she replied. "Well, I for one think you should sing and if I was anywhere nearby, I'd come on down there to listen."

"Well, thank you and I'll...I guess I'll think about it." He said goodbye, tucking the phone back in his pocket, shaking his head. She wasn't anything like Rayna and he wasn't ready to be a part of anything serious or romantic, but being friends with Jessie was giving him a feeling that maybe, someday, his world might feel just a little more normal again.

* * *

Maddie watched from the side of the stage as her dad walked out to the microphone. She looked over at Daphne and smiled, slipping her arm around her sister.

"Thanks y'all for that welcome," Deacon said. "We're real glad we could come down here with our dear friend Gunnar Scott and play some music for you tonight. This here's an old song."

He slid his borrowed guitar forward and nodded at the leader of the house band.

 _Sometimes it feels like I'm so far away,  
_ _Like everything I love has lost its place.  
_ _When life gets the best of me,  
_ _I just close my eyes and see,_

 _Fireflies dancing in the yard,  
_ _Under a blanket of stars,  
_ _The sound of that rusty string guitar,  
_ _Playin' songs we know._

 _And all that I have to do,  
_ _Is think one little thought of you,  
_ _And I'm back home  
_ _I'm right back home._

"Have you heard that one before?" Daphne whispered to Maddie.

Maddie nodded. "Yeah, he played it for me a couple of times. He wrote it a long time ago, when he was with Mom, before I was born."

Daphne nodded. She knew her Mom had loved Deacon for a long time, but every day it felt like she was learning a little more about just what that love had been, why they had been a part for so many years.

The crowd thundered with applause as Deacon finished his song.

"Now I'd like to welcome my daughters, Maddie and Daphne, up to the stage. These girls are amazing artists and make me proud every day," Deacon said as he turned to welcome the girls to the stage.

The girls walked out.

"You sure you want to do this?" he said quietly to them, away from the microphone. Both girls nodded.

The band started the opening chords of the song as Daphne stepped up to the microphone.

 _Turn the light off  
_ _Go to bed  
_ _Tell me all about the day you had._

 _Lay beside me  
_ _It's time to rest  
_ _You can close your eyes you've done your best._

Maddie and Deacon joined her.

 _Let me be your sanctuary  
_ _Let me be your safe place to fall  
_ _I can take away your worries  
_ _The refuge from it all_

The audience sat still listening to their voices blend together in and out throughout Rayna's well known song.

 _I will share this weight you carry  
_ _Let me be your sanctuary_

The final chords rang out as Gunnar stepped back on the stage.

"Thanks y'all for joining us and for supporting this great cause tonight!" He nodded at the band as they began to play again. "And thanks again to Deacon Claybourne, Maddie Jaymes and Daphne Conrad for joining us tonight!"

As the audience clapped, the foursome stepped forward again. Deacon clapped Gunnar on the shoulder and smiled. He moved the microphone toward his mouth and began to sing.

 _Sittin' here tonight  
By the fire light  
It reminds me I already have  
More than I should_

Maddie joined in.

 _I don't need fame  
No one to know my name  
At the end of the day, Lord I pray  
I have a life that's good_

And Daphne.

 _Two arms around me  
Heaven to ground me  
And a family that always calls me home_

Gunnar stepped forward joining them on the verse

 _Four wheels to get there  
Enough love to share  
And a sweet, sweet, sweet song_

Deacon held out his arms, inviting everyone in the room to join them on the chorus.

 _At the end of the day  
Lord I pray  
I have a life that's good_

As the song ended, Deacon looked over at the girls. It wasn't the life he wanted, but it was still a good life.

* * *

 _ **Thanks for hanging in here with this story! We're about 3 days (aka chapters) away from home. Thank you as always for your reviews, I deeply appreciate each and every one of them! - RW**_


	6. Day Five - Austin, TX to Natchez, MS

**Day Five - Austin, TX to Natchez, MS**

Deacon stopped in the hallway of the hotel and tapped on a door. After a moment, it opened up.

"You ready to go?" he asked Daphne as she stepped back into the room.

"Almost," Daphne replied. "My bag's packed and Maddie is drying her hair. Where are we headed today?"

"Well, we're about 12 hours from Nashville, so we could just make a long day of it and head home," Deacon responded. "Let's talk about it at breakfast, okay?"

"Sounds good," Daphne replied. "I will point out that we still haven't seen a big ball of twine or anything really weird like that. Are we really going to do this whole drive without one single great tourist trap?"

"Bring some options to breakfast," Deacon replied. "I'm gonna head down and get some coffee. I'll see you both in a few."

* * *

Deacon took another sip of coffee as the girls gave their orders to the server. As she walked away toward the kitchen, he set his mug down.

"Good show last night," he said, smiling at them. "You both were great."

"So were you," Maddie replied. "I really love that you sang _Back Home_."

"It's beautiful," Daphne replied. "When did you write it?"

Deacon smiled. "A long time ago."

"Is it about Mom?" Daphne asked.

Deacon nodded. "Honestly, I'm not sure I've ever written any song that wasn't at least a little bit about your mom."

"How did you meet?" Daphne asked. She looked over at Maddie. "I know, you probably told Maddie about all of this stuff, but I don't know."

Deacon smiled at them. "You ask a lot of questions."

"It's our way," Maddie replied.

Deacon leaned forward. "Well, I had been singin' some back home with my sister, your Aunt Bev, and I decided it was time to head for Nashville."

"Can we go there?" Maddie asked. "I'd like to see where you grew up."

Deacon reached for his coffee and took another sip. What would he show them? The wreck of the house where they'd lived? The park where he hid when his dad was drunk and threatening to beat him? It didn't seem like the place you go to share memories.

"I don't know…" Deacon began.

"We want to see it, Dad," Daphne responded. "We know it wasn't a happy place for you, but we want to see where you came from."

Deacon sighed. "I 'spose. I was thinkin' we'd head up toward Memphis. There was somethin' I wanted to show you there, but yeah, we could drive through Natchez on the way, I guess."

Both girls nodded.

Okay, so they'd go to Natchez.

* * *

As Deacon drove onto the bridge crossing the Mississippi river to cross into Natchez, he looked over at the girls sleeping in the car. It had been a long day's drive.

"Hey," he said, trying to rouse them. "We're here."

Maddie straightened up and looked into the backseat. "Daphne, we're here."

"Oh," Daphne said, looking out over the wide river. "This is pretty."

Deacon kept silent as they made their way across the bridge. He slowed down, driving into the heart of the city and then turned down one street and then another until finally they pulled onto Maple Street. He drove a couple blocks further and then pulled over to the side in front of a small white house with a chain link fence in front.

The yard was overgrown, but it almost always was. There was a car on blocks in the driveway next door and everything had a look of being worn out.

"Is that your house?" Maddie asked as they looked at it.

"Yep," Deacon replied. He'd spent sixteen years there and all the ones since trying to forget it.

"Can we get out?" Daphne asked.

Deacon looked back at her and sighed. "Yeah, I guess. I just...I haven't been back here in a long time."

"You didn't come when you came to get Aunt Bev's stuff?" Maddie asked.

Deacon shook his head. "No. You gotta understand, I didn't grow up in a home like you did. I don't got any good memories here."

Maddie opened her door and got out. Daphne followed her. They crossed over to the other side of the street and stood in front of the fence. Deacon sat for a moment, then released his seatbelt and went to join them.

* * *

Her mom had tried to explain to her once about how hard it had been for her dad when he was growing up. It was one night when she asked her mom why she hadn't stayed with her dad, why she hadn't told him about Maddie.

" _Your dad...he had a really hard life," Rayna had tried to explain. "His dad...his dad also had a problem with alcohol and he, he wasn't very nice."_

" _Did you ever meet him?" Maddie asked._

 _Rayna shook her head. "No, he died before we ever came down here. I met his mom when we came after Scarlett was born. Maddie, be careful talking to your dad about this. There is a great deal of pain and sadness there. It hurt him in a way that caused him so much pain later in his life, pain that he dulled for so many year."_

" _By drinking?" Maddie asked._

 _Rayna nodded. "Just be careful."_

"Thanks for letting us come here, Dad, but we can go," Maddie said as they stood at the fence.

Deacon put his hand on the gate, then moved it back. He looked at the girls. "C'mon, let's go. There are other places, places with better memories than this one."

* * *

Deacon pulled up in front of the small bar on the other side of town.

"This is where your Aunt Bev sang for a lot of years," Deacon explained. "She had a lot of friends here, people Scarlett and I met when we came down here."

"Can we go in?" Daphne asked.

Deacon nodded. "Sure."

They opened the door to the Landslide and walked in. There was a white haired man behind the bar. He looked up and smiled.

"Deacon," he offered as a greeting.

Deacon crossed and shook his hand. "These are my daughters, Maddie and Daphne."

"A pleasure to meet you," he said as he shook their hands. "Y'all visiting Natchez?"

"Just passin' through," Deacon said. "I wanted to show them places that were important to their Aunt Bev."

"We still sure miss her," the bar owner responded. "Not the same without her, that's for sure."

* * *

Daphne walked out of the bathroom and plopped down on her bed. "Dad seemed really sad today. Maybe we shouldn't have come here."

"I know," Maddie replied. "But I also think we need to know about this part of him, about his past."

Daphne looked over at her. "Sometimes, I wish we just had one dad, that it wasn't so hard to pick between them, but thing is, we have two dads who love us. I can't...I mean, I can't imagine having a dad who was mean, who would hurt you."

Maddie nodded. They were lucky. Their mom was gone, but their dads loved them more than anything.

* * *

Deacon looked down at his phone and sighed. It had been a long day.

"Hey," he said as he answered the call.

"Where are you?" Jessie asked. "You sound tired."

"Spent," Deacon replied. "I'm...we're in Natchez. The girls...the girls wanted to see where I was from and for some reason I thought I could just come here, show them a few things and not get sucked into all of those memories I try so hard to get rid of."

Jessie chuckled. "That's the thing about memories...they tend to not stay gone when we want them to."

Deacon leaned against the headboard. "Ain't that the truth."

"You headed back soon?" Jessie asked.

"Yeah," Deacon replied. "I'd planned to go through Memphis, but I'm thinking maybe we'll just head up the Natchez Trace and get home. I'm kind of ready to be back in Nashville."

"Sounds good. Well, it'll be good to see you when you have a chance," Jessie replied.

"Sounds good and Jess…"

"Yeah."

"Thanks for being a friend," Deacon replied. He ended the call and set his phone on the table next to the bed. Part of him wished they'd skipped this place, but at the same time, it was good. And he wouldn't need to come back again.

* * *

 _ **One more day of the trip, one more chapter left...thanks to all who have been reading and especially for those who take a moment to leave a review. I deeply appreciate it.**_


	7. Day Six - Natchez, MS to Nashville

**Day Six - Natchez, MS to Nashville**

Deacon woke up and groaned. It had been a restless night. Coming back to Natchez had stirred up a lot of memories. And to be honest, he was glad he'd decided to skip Memphis. A city that had good memories of the trips with his mom and Bev now also had the memory of the hospital with Scarlett, about finding out about his cancer.

Things had been complicated with his sister for so many years. Her illness and disappointment in him not helping her live her dreams still weighed on him when he let it.

Rayna had told him to be grateful for her gift, for his new lease on life, but he wished it hadn't come at such a cost.

He got up and walked into the bathroom. The reminders sat there, on the counter in the plastic container holding the pills he took every day to keep that gift from Bev healthy, to keep him whole for the girls. He opened it up, shook out the pills, poured a glass of water and swallowed them quickly.

He turned at the sound of his phone buzzing. He went back into the bedroom and picked it up.

 _Me and Daphne are going to sit in the hot tub before breakfast. Come join us?_

He sat down on the edge of the bed and sighed. He had to get it together. It was another day of driving and then home. Home to figure out just what it might mean to still be in business with Zach, to figure out what it meant to be friends with Jessie, to face what was going to happen now that Teddy was coming home.

Part of him wanted to just keep driving, not ever go back to Nashville, but that didn't seem like an option, either.

He picked up the phone and tapped out a short message.

 _Give me 5._

* * *

"Wow, Dad...I don't think I've ever seen you in a bathing suit," Daphne said as he walked into pool area.

"Those are some white legs," Maddie teased as he set his phone down on the chair next to the hot tub and pulled his t-shirt off. He glanced down at the faded scar across his abdomen and shook his head.

"It's a wonder I don't hang out with y'all more often," he replied as he slid off his shoes and walked over to the hot tub.

He stepped down into the tub and moved over to the bench by one of the jets. "Ah….that feels good."

"Right?" Maddie responded.

He closed his eyes and sank lower into the hot water.

"So, where to next?" Daphne asked. "I'm thinking we could just keep going east and hit Disney World before heading home."

Deacon's eyes stayed close as he shook his head. "Sorry, we'll have to save that for the next big adventure." He opened his eyes. "I think it's time for us to get back and face the music."

"I thought you wanted to go to Memphis," Maddie replied. "Scarlett told me that your mom used to take you there."

Deacon kept his eyes closed. "She did. We'll do that another time, go spend a whole weekend at the Peabody. Right now I'm just thinkin' I'd like to sleep in my own bed. And not drink anymore gas station coffee."

"Well, if you'd stop at a Starbucks now and then," Daphne started.

Deacon opened his eyes and sat up, laughing. "Don't get me started on that again…I do not need to get any coffee where they can't even call it small, medium or large. Anyway, if we go home from here, we can drive on the Natchez Trace, which is a great way to end a road trip in a convertible."

"Sounds good," Maddie replied. "Plus, I think Bucky has some stuff to go over with me."

"We probably all have some things to figure out," Deacon replied. "I did want to talk to y'all about one thing."

"What's that?" Daphne asked.

Deacon had wondered when to bring this up, but now seemed as good a time as any.

"Teddy's gonna be back, moving into an apartment in Nashville next week. So, we should probably talk about what that means," Deacon started.

"Does that mean I go live with him?" Daphne asked. "Would it be like before?"

Deacon nodded. "I think that makes sense. And we can talk about how much time you'd spend each place. With school and all, maybe you'd want to do weekends with him rather than during the week, but he is your dad and he misses you both."

"What about me?" Maddie asked, as she pushed her hair back.

"It's really up to you," Deacon replied. "You're 18, so you make your own choices."

Maddie nodded. "Maybe we can talk about it, right, Daph?"

Daphne nodded.

Deacon leaned back into the jet and closed his eyes. It would all work out.

* * *

"Thanks for picking us up," Deacon said as he lifted the last of the suitcases into Scarlett's trunk.

"My pleasure," she replied. "I missed y'all while you were gone."

"Saw Gunnar on our way," Deacon replied. "You doin' okay?"

Scarlett nodded. "Yep. Just takin' some time, tryin' to figure out what's next for me."

"Sounds familiar," Deacon said as he closed the tailgate and headed for the passenger seat. "Seems like there's a lot of that going around."

Scarlett paused before getting into the car. "I know it probably isn't my place, but you should go talk to Juliette, hear her out."

Deacon leaned on the car. "Yeah, it ain't really your place and besides, I've heard all of her excuses before. Hey, we grew up hard, too, but I've never seen us pull some of the stuff she has."

"She's the one that fixed things with Zach," Scarlett offered. "She got in his head and got him to stop destroying Highway 65."

"That's great, Scarlett, but it's kind of too little, too late," Deacon answered.

"Just think about it," Scarlett said as she opened the door and got into the car. Deacon followed her, opening his own door and sitting down.

He looked into the backseat where both girls had fallen asleep again. "Let's talk about this later," he said quietly.

Scarlett nodded and put the car into gear.

* * *

Maddie's eyes opened when the car stopped again and she saw they were in their driveway. There was a light burning in the kitchen and like every time she got home, for a moment, she thought her mom would be in the kitchen when they walked in.

"Hey, sleepyhead," her dad said from the front seat. "Wake your sister and let's get our stuff unloaded. We need to get to bed."

"Why?" Daphne said, as she yawned.

"I got a text from your school," Deacon replied. "We've got registration and orientation tomorrow at 8 am. Good thing we headed back, I totally forgot about it."

"Great," Daphne said, her voice grumpy. "Goodbye summer. Hello eighth grade."

"I promise, it isn't gonna kill you," Deacon said as he opened his door and got out of Scarlett's car. He walked to the back and began pulling the suitcases out.

He turned to Scarlett and gave her a hug. "Thanks again, sweetie and I...I'll think about what you said."

Scarlett smiled at him. "Good and I'm glad you're home."

The girls got out of the car, hugged Scarlett and waved as she drove away.

Deacon walked over and slipped his arms around each of them. "Thanks for our great adventure but I gotta say, it's good be be back home."

FIN

* * *

 _ **Well, that's the end of the trip! Thank you to piratewench78 for the idea for the story and to all who read and left reviews. I deeply appreciate it!**_


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